Earlier this week, things appeared to be gaining serious momentum for the unveiling of the rumored Apple Car. Apple had reportedly invested $3.6 billion in Kia Motors as part of a manufacturing partnership to build electric cars at the company's plant in Georgia.

However, talk of the deal being completed appears to have been premature; according to Bloomberg, talks between Kia and its parent company Hyundai were indeed ongoing, but have recently been suspended, according to "a person familiar with the situation."

The site's sources added that similar plans are being discussed with other automakers, but the article did not elaborate on which ones or how serious the discussions are. One source added that one issue is the controversy within the Hyundai Motor Group over whether Hyundai or Kia would be in charge of manufacturing, but reported that the latter is the most likely option "if" talks resume.

As might be expected with such a top-secret project, Apple declined to comment. However, there are ample clues that the company has big ambitions in the automotive sector. Even though Apple has plenty of cash, it would be wise to partner with a proven automaker rather than go it alone; as the Bloomberg report points out, only a few companies in the world have the capacity and capability to mass produce cars.

The options are even more limited because not all automakers would necessarily welcome a partnership with Apple. Hyundai is clearly open to the idea, even if it has backtracked from its original statement of intent. With the launch still years away, there is plenty of time to pause the talks without substantial delay.

We have heard rumors that the Apple Car could appear as early as this year, but given that discussions with potential manufacturers are still ongoing, that seems entirely fanciful. We have also heard rumors of 2024, which seems more likely, but prominent Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks it will be even later, suggesting 2025 at the earliest.